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We Want to See a Sign. Reflection for married couples. Matthew 12:38–42

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Gospel of the Day

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 12:38–42
At that time, some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Jesus, saying,
“Master, we would see a sign from thee.”
But he answered and said to them:
“An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
For as Jonas was in the whale’s belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here.
The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold a greater than Solomon here.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
We Want to See a Sign
Whoever asks for a sign, does so because they don’t believe.
And me? Do I truly believe that You are alive and present among us each day? Do I believe in the covenant of love You sealed with my spouse and me in our Sacrament?
Jesus, today You, who are the Truth, tell me that those who spared no effort or discomfort to listen to the wisdom of one chosen by God — and those who converted with the preaching of a prophet — will rise in judgment against this generation and condemn it.
Why? Because here, now, there is Someone greater — greater than anyone, greater than everything. (Last Friday’s Gospel also reminded us: “Here is one greater than the temple.”)
You are here. You remained here — with us and among us.
You, who gave wisdom to Solomon.
You, who spoke through Jonah.
You are truly alive and present in every tabernacle, and in the midst of us when two or more gather in Your name.
And yet, having You so close… we often fail to see You.
We don’t realise how incredibly blessed we are.
What more sign do I need?
My Lord and my God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You.
And I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You.
Applied to Married Life
Luis: Carmen, listen — since you’re tired, how about this: I’ll clean up the kitchen, and in the meantime you can freshen up a bit and then we head over to the perpetual adoration chapel?
Carmen: Oh Luis… not tonight. I was dreaming of just sinking into the sofa and watching an episode of my favourite series to unwind.
Luis: But what will that really give you? What better rest is there than being with Our Lord? We are so blessed to have that chapel nearby, where Jesus is waiting for us — His Heart beating for us.
He welcomes us with open arms, and we give Him such joy just by being there. And we find rest in Him.
We can each make our personal prayer in silence there… and then, once back home, we can do our conjugal prayer together.
What could possibly be better?
Carmen: You’re right. Nothing could be better than spending time with the Lord, who redeemed us and chose to remain with us forever.
We can’t leave Him alone.
Let’s go and give thanks for everything He’s given us today. And it’s true — every time we go, I come back more renewed and rested than with anything else.
Thank you for helping me overcome my laziness.
Luis: Thank you, for bringing me closer to the Lord.
Now I enjoy going and praying with you. What a joy to be able to go together and spend time with the Lord!
Mother,
We thank you for giving us Your Son.
Teach us to rest in Him and to trust in Him, just as You trusted and rested always in God.
Blessed are you, Mother! Praised be Our Lord forever!

Listening to You. Reflection for married couples: Luke 10:38-42

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GOSPEL

‘Martha welcomed him. Mary has chosen the good portion.’
Luke 10:38-42

At that time: Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’

The Gospel of the Lord

Listening to You

When we encounter the Lord, how easy it is to sit at His feet like Mary, listening to His Word!
Spending hours before the Tabernacle or in Adoration, praying the Rosary… it’s beautiful — but all of this must lead us to action.
To take His Word to struggling marriages and to the many families suffering because they do not yet know the Truth and Beauty of marriage as God intended it.
And yet, in that second conversion — the call to mission — we can so easily fall into activism.
To become like Martha, and forget how to be like Mary… and that can take us away from what truly matters.
What can we offer others if our own hearts are not filled with the Lord?
Let us be bearers of His Light and His Salt — because without Him, we are nothing.

Grounded in Married Life

(Abigail and James during their couple prayer)
Abigail: James, the Lord’s been showing me how much we need to spend more time together before the Tabernacle. To pause each day, and be nourished by His Word and His Love. This past month I’ve felt so scattered and restless.
James: The Lord is amazing — He’s been saying the same to me. We’ve been doing a lot to support other couples, and I love how our small “yes” is helping many marriages. But it’s true — it feels like the days just slip away. The tasks pile up, and it’s hard to see what should really come first…
Abigail: These words from St Teresa of Calcutta came strongly to my heart: when her sisters told her they didn’t have enough time to care for all the sick and dying, what did she say? That they needed to spend one more hour each day in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
James: That’s brilliant! I love that. Right — let’s start tomorrow. After Mass, we’ll stay a little longer before the Tabernacle, just the two of us, in prayer. I’m sure our time will stretch more than we think. If we truly needed longer days, I’m sure the Lord would have made them longer than 24 hours!
Abigail: [laughs] Absolutely agreed!

Mother,

Help us to remain faithful in prayer —to treasure in our hearts all the Lord shows us, as you did. Blessed and praised be the Lord forever!

Silence. Reflection for married couples: Matthew 12:14-21

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GOSPEL 

‘He ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet.’
Matthew 12:14-21

At that time: The Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.’

The Gospel of the Lord

Silence

Today the world demands a great deal from each of us if it is to remain a better place — and at times it feels as though everything is against us, even within our own marriage.
Man was created out of love and called to govern the world through love. But too often, we try to do so by imposing love, asserting our opinions (even good ones), forgetting that the best way to love others begins with loving ourselves rightly.
How essential it is to treat others as we ourselves would wish to be treated. We have Christ as our model — He who, despite doing good by giving Himself completely, was still hated and hunted.
And when He found out they were plotting against Him, He withdrew quietly. He didn’t need to be seen or praised — He simply carried on, in silence, doing good. And that silent witness attracted many more to Him.
How often this happens in marriage — when one of us wants to be right, no matter the cost, to come out on top in every disagreement.
But our response must be silence — not out of resignation, but out of love.
There is a deep and often forgotten strength in silence. It calms the heart and allows us to pass on God’s love — even to those who criticise, belittle, or misunderstand us.

Grounded in Married Life

Gabriel: I’m so tired of hearing what people are saying — about what we’ve done or haven’t done. No matter how hard you try, all you get back is criticism and resistance.
Beatrice: What matters, Gabriel, is that we’re doing it with good intention, out of love for others.
Gabriel: I know… but sometimes I just want to snap back and set the record straight.
Beatrice: That won’t help anyone. We need to keep giving ourselves unconditionally — with all the love we can.
We’ll make mistakes, of course — we’re not perfect — but our answer must always be silence. In the good and the bad.
Gabriel: You’re right, Beatrice. It’s just as important to receive praise in silence as it is to receive criticism.
Beatrice: Exactly. We take the criticism as an invitation to grow — and the praise as a chance to glorify God through our work.

Mother,

How much we have to learn from your quiet strength and simplicity — you who pondered everything silently in your heart. May we dwell in the cloister of your Immaculate Heart, offering every word, every silence, to the glory of your Son. Blessed be God.

Winning in Love. Reflection for married couples: Matthew 12:1-8

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GOSPEL

‘The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.’

Matthew 12:1-8

At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.’ He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the Temple is here. And if you had known what this means, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice”, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.’

The Gospel of the Lord

Winning in Love

The Pharisees reproached Jesus because His disciples picked ears of corn on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was sacred — a day of rest according to the Law. But the rules had become rigid, hollow. They had confused the means with the end, losing sight of what truly matters: love.
Jesus uses Scripture to correct this narrow interpretation of the law. Without abolishing it, He reveals its deeper meaning, exposing a twisted religiosity that follows rules but forgets to love. He teaches that mercy stands above the rule — and that every rule is meant to serve love.
In marriage, how often do we demand that our spouse follow our law — the law of “being right”? We insist on doing things our way, by our reasoning, with our standards. How hard it is to let go of the need to be right, to stop insisting on my way of doing things.
Today, the Lord teaches us the law of love and mercy. I see clearly now that even when my reasoning is sound, enforcing it might break communion with my spouse — and that never pleases the Lord.
Better to lose the argument than to lose love. Thank You, Lord, for Your gentle teaching and for warning us about the subtle pride that creeps into the heart.

Grounded in Married Life

Sarah: I’m falling more and more in love with the Lord every day. He’s so gentle in teaching us how to centre our hearts on what truly matters. Each Gospel reveals a bit more of who He is — and the more I know Him, the more I love Him.
Today, as I prayed about mercy, it was like I heard Him say: “You are My embrace for Adam. You are My smile, My patience, My tenderness…”
Adam: That’s incredible… We are His face in our home. We are called to embody the mercy of God. Our eyes, our ears, our hands… our bodies, our words — all of it! — are meant to communicate His mercy.
That’s where God is — loving through you. I love that Love has a face: your face, my face… and God’s face between us.

Mother,

May our only law be mercy and love. Help us to look at one another through your merciful gaze, and to become bearers of God’s tenderness to each other. Mother of Mercy, pray for us!

What Is It That Truly Wears You Out? Reflection for married couples: Matthew 11:28-30

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GOSPEL
‘Come to me, all who labour.’

Matthew 11:28-30

At that time: Jesus declared, ‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

The Gospel of the Lord

 

What Is It That Truly Wears You Out?

We are right in the middle of summer, and online searches for hotels and holiday cottages are in overdrive. Everyone is looking for a place to unwind. And yet, so often we return home just as exhausted and overwhelmed as before. So, what’s the solution? Another holiday as soon as possible? Not quite…
Perhaps we’ve never paused to ask ourselves: What is it that truly exhausts me? Where am I really seeking rest?
Jesus tells us we will find rest by learning from Him — by becoming gentle and humble of heart. So if true rest lies in virtue, could it be that what drains us is sin? Could it be that the heaviest burden of all is our own self-love?
Let me never seek rest in a place, Lord, but always in You. 

Grounded in Married Life

Michael: I honestly can’t wait for the holidays. I’m running on empty. I just need everything to stop — the workload, the endless messages, this frantic pace of life… I’m counting down to the 1st of August, disappearing somewhere peaceful, breathing properly again, and finally resting.
Paula: Oh love… that’s still two weeks away. What are you going to do in the meantime?
Michael: I don’t know… what can I do?
Paula: The other day I read something that really struck me — that real rest isn’t just physical, but rest for the soul… and that it’s found in the Heart of Jesus, when we become gentle and humble like Him.
Michael: So you’re saying what wears me out isn’t the work itself, but the way I carry it?
Paula: Exactly. Sometimes the real exhaustion comes from not loving, from needing to control everything, from pushing ourselves too hard. What if you tried to rest today — without waiting for the holiday? Maybe just spend a few quiet minutes in prayer?
Michael: Oh Paula… what would I do without you?
Paula: And what would I do without you?

 

Mother,

You didn’t just seek rest in God — you were rest for God.
Teach me to live in You, and like You.
Praised be the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary!